Ruffa Gutierrez takes the high road

Ruffa Gutierrez confesses she recently became emotional when she read and heard unfavorable comments about her and her family. But Ruffa G realized soon enough she should not pay attention to people who don’t matter to her nor go down to their level.

She resolved to take the high road, that is, concentrate on productive matters as well as fulfilling professional and personal endeavors. For one, she can concentrate on the promotion of her forthcoming movie, “The Mommy Returns,” the Mother’s Day offering of Regal Entertainment, opening on May 9.

Directed by Joel Lamangan, “The Mommy Returns,” is family entertainment, a comedy with a touch of horror. Ruffa G shares stellar billing with Gabby Concepcion, Gloria Diaz, John “Sweet” Lapus, Jillian Ward, and Pokwang.

Ruffa recalls she and Gabby co-starred in several movies and that they’ve always worked well together. She says it’s an honor and a pleasure to work with Ms. Diaz, who she admires. Her daughter Isabelle Daza and niece Georgina Wilson are her good friends. Gloria and Ruffa are beauty queens, Miss Universe and Miss World runner-up, respectively.

Aside from being an actress and beauty queen, Ruffa is also a TV host, fashion icon, product endorser, and more important, mother to Lorin and Venice and advocate of child welfare and women’s rights. With such credentials, Ruffa says she neither has the inclination nor energy to engage in petty feuds with bashers. “I have more important concerns to attend to,” says Ruffa, taking the high road as she earlier said.

Paternal love is the underlying theme of the movie as shown by the roles of Pokwang and Ruffa G. The mother (Pokwang) who refuses to leave her children behind and the woman (Ruffa) who yearns to fill the void left by a mother’s death.

Ruffa looks forward to doing more films, be they drama or comedy or whatever...as long as they bring out the best in her. Remember she’s taking the high road.

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GMA Tween Star Barbie Forteza won’t be able to join Director Yam Laranas and some of her co-stars of the movie, “The Road” for its premiere night on May 9. She felt sad but she added there were a lot of requirements that ought to be prepared to enable her to join the trip. Besides, she is busy right now taping for the new GMA sitcom Tweets for My Sweet that will premiere on Sunday night (May 6).

“Eh kesa naman makarating ako ng States tapos wala akong show. Mas mabuti na ‘yung may trabaho ako,” says Barbie who is being paired with Elmo Magalona in the new sitcom topbilled by Marian Rivera and directed by Uro dela Cruz.

For this sitcom, Barbie is being given a new leading man but Joshua Dionisio, the other half of the JoshBie tandem, welcomes the change as well.

“Joshua and I know that we can’t be forever partners in our projects. But I promise that we will remain as friends. Our relationship as friends won’t be affected even if we will be working with other young stars,” Barbie states.

But she wishes that the JoshBie fans would also support her team-up with Elmo. “We are just doing our jobs as actors. Kung solid ang JoshBie, sana suportahan din nila ako as Barbie and same with Joshua in case he would be given a new leading lady by GMA.”

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Angelica Panganiban is better known as a dramatic actress, having won acting awards for her drama roles even as a child actress and as an adult (best supporting actress in a movie with Maricel Soriano and Aga Muhlach).

But ever since she did the comedy film, “Here Comes The Bride” two years ago (for which she won Best Actress-Comedy at the Golden Screen Awards) and the gag show “Banana Split” for ABS-CBN (for which she also won a Best Actress award in comedy), the public has seen that Angel has a natural flair for comedy.

She admits wanting to experiment with her acting assignments, making the shift from drama to comedy with relative ease. “I never imagined the people would understand my kind of humor. I just wanted to challenge myself and I am very happy the people liked my acting. All the more I am inspired to act,” said Angelica.

She is also happy to be reunited with Piolo Pascual in the movie Every Breath You Take, the 19th anniversary offering of Star Cinema to be shown on May 16. She and Piolo first worked in a TV series when she was a still a bit younger. When asked to describe how is it like working with Piolo again, she said the actor has remained humble despite his success and it was a pleasure working with him.

Every Breath You Take is directed by Mae Czarina Cruz and will be shown on May 16. It also stars Nova Villa, Smokey Manaloto, Carlos Agassi, Joross Gamboa, Janus del Prado, Regine Angeles, Wendy Valdez and introducing Ryan Bang.

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It is the second week in Bubble Gang with Ehra Madrigal, Betong and Jacky Woo as special guest stars. Gags include incidents during Santacruzan in this month of flowers. Commercial spoof features Lactum while Moymoy Palaboy provides a good musical number in Emotion.

Learn some pickup lines about courting and how to impress girls. Bureche takes away Cheche’s balloon while Mr. Calmado strikes again in the school campus.

Meanwhile, a psychic uses high technology in fortune telling. Expect high velocity laughter with Ogie Alcasid, Michael V and the rest of the cast of Bubble Gang this Friday primetime on GMA 7.